All-round Gardner keeps Giants afloat with win over RCB

Ash Gardner has come up trumps again for her Gujarat Giants side, breathing fresh life into their Women's Premier League challenge in India with a commanding performance against Ellyse Perry's champions, Royal Challengers Bengaluru. 

After her tight bowling (1-22 off four) accounted for Perry and helped restrict RCB to an under-par 7-125 in front of their own Bengaluru fans, the skipper then bludgeoned her third half-century of the tournament to make light work of the chase alongside her Australian international teammate Phoebe Litchfield.

The six-wicket win on Thursday was a critical one for the Giants who, despite Gardner's considerable efforts over the past few weeks, had been in danger of being stranded at the foot of the table if they had not beaten the champions.

Instead, now they're on four points alongside RCB and UP Warriorz, just two points adrift of Meg Lanning's Delhi Capitals and Mumbai Indians in what is proving a remarkably tight-fought third edition of women's cricket's showpiece event.

"We needed a win to stay in it," admitted Litchfield, who looked in fine nick as she finished on an unbeaten 30, having shared the key half-century partnership with Gardner that ensured Gujarat reached 4-126 with still 21 balls remaining.

The key came when Gardner started upping the tempo and smashed Prema Rawat for 19 in an over, featuring three fours and a six in successive deliveries.  

"Ash did an amazing job to get that asking rate down to six in that over and I could score freely and risk-free, and we could get that partnership going," said Litchfield, who was playing only her second match in this year's edition and quickly found form after her duck on Tuesday against Delhi.

Gardner was certainly in brutal mode, as she clouted three sixes and six fours in her 31-ball knock.

She looked disgusted with herself when seemingly on course to finish the job, she chipped the ball tamely back and her ever-impressive compatriot Georgia Wareham (2-26 off three) gobbled up the caught-and-bowled chance when she was on 58.

But Litchfield guided the visitors home, pulling one thumping six of her own off Aussie teammate Kim Garth (0-19 off 2.3) in the last over.

For once, the illustrious Perry missed out for RCB, with Gardner serving up a short ball which she mistimed and sent into the hands of Tanuja Kanwar at square leg to fall for a four-ball duck.

Without her usual substantial contribution, the home side struggled and were grateful to Wareham's useful late contribution, an unbeaten 20 off 21 balls, to give them even a remote chance of stretching Gardner and her crew.

Australians at WPL 2025

Delhi Capitals: Annabel Sutherland, Jess Jonassen, Meg Lanning

Gujarat Giants: Ashleigh Gardner, Beth Mooney, Phoebe Litchfield

Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Ellyse Perry, Georgia Wareham, Kim Garth, Heather Graham

UP Warriorz: Grace Harris, Tahlia McGrath, Alana King, Georgia Voll

WPL 2025 standings

Team	Matches played M	Wins W	Losses L	Ties T	No results N/R	Net Run Rate NRR	Deductions Ded.	Total points PTS
1 Delhi Capitals Women DEL	8	5	3	0	0	0.396	0	10
2 Mumbai Indians Women MI	8	5	3	0	0	0.192	0	10
3 Gujarat Giants GUJ	8	4	4	0	0	0.228	0	8
4 Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women RCB	8	3	5	0	0	-0.196	0	6
5 UP Warriorz UPW	8	3	5	0	0	-0.624	0	6

Legend

M: Matches played

W: Wins

L: Losses

T: Ties

N/R: No results

NRR: Net Run Rate

Ded.: Deductions

PTS: Total points